Doing it right

By Shawn Shroyer Sports Writer

Published 6:00 pm, Friday, February 12, 2010

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One of a coach’s biggest concerns is whether or not his players are trying to better themselves when they aren’t being watched. But when it comes to Matt Reyes, Midland High coach Barry Russell’s main concern is keeping Reyes from exhausting himself with all the batting practice and infield practice he takes in his free time.

Even after beating rival Lee last season, while his teammates left the field to celebrate, Reyes got in a few more hacks in the batting cage.

“He takes the game seriously and plays the game right,” Russell said. “We talk about not disrespecting the game and he’s definitely not one of those guys. He just goes out and does it the right way. He’s a good one to have around.”

All of Reyes’ hard work paid off last season. He was named District 2-5A’s Newcomer of the Year after batting .484 in district play with 30 hits, 22 runs, 11 extra base hits and 14 RBI as MHS’ leadoff hitter and starting second baseman.

The Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association recognized Reyes as a third team all-state selection. He was selected to represent Team Texas at the Sun Belt Classic in Oklahoma in June. He also finished the season in the top 10 on three MHS single-season lists and he did it all as a sophomore.

With his laundry list of accomplishments last season, one would expect he was a prodigy Russell had his eye on coming into the season. It was actually only by virtue of an injury he was given a chance to start for the Bulldogs.

“I really didn’t have any (expectations for him) because he was a sophomore,” Russell said. “I was set on another guy and the young man who was at second tore up his knee in football. I wasn’t sure where he was going to be, so Matt came up in our thought process. In the midst of the scrimmages, rotating people in, he just took it and went off.”

Reyes himself didn’t know how much he was capable of, but once he was given the opportunity to start, he wasn’t about to take it for granted.

“Coming into the season, I wasn’t expecting to have as good of a season as I did,” Reyes said. “I’d come up here and hit everyday and stay after practice and do my best to get better. I just wanted to show everybody what I could do.”

He showed he was a player with the ability to hit for average and a little pop at the top of the order and incorporate a little speed on the bases.

He finished the season with 13 doubles, which tied him for 7th on MHS’ single-season list. He recorded 51 hits, good for 10th best in a single season by a Bulldog. Then he stole 12 bases, which tied him for 10th in school history in a single season.

But his contributions didn’t end at the plate. He committed three errors in the field and, as Russell recalls, one of those would have been a tough play for anyone to make.

As Reyes enters his junior season, it would be quite an accomplishment for him to surpass his level of play last season, but if there is one area he can be more productive this season, it’s on the bases.

“I just want to see him do what he did last year. That was a pretty dang good year,” Russell said. “I’d like to see him have more stolen bases, be a little more aggressive on the base paths. I think he will be. Last year he may have been a little tentative being a sophomore. I gave him the green light and I don’t think he really did it. Last night I told him he had the green light and every time he was on he was running.”

As far as Reyes is concerned, last season was just the beginning.

He said being a part of the Sun Belt Classic and playing on the team that won the tournament gave him a significant confidence boost and, during summer ball, he could feel himself making more solid contact and driving the ball with more power.

Reyes did break his collar bone during football season, but to no one’s surprise, he’s put in the extra time to ensure he’d be ready for opening day.

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“I’m back to where I was again, staying even later than I was last year just to catch up with everybody,” Reyes said.